Bihar

A progressive State of India

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Bihar Overview 2015

Contemporary Bihar actually came into being through a state Reorganization Bill in 2000 that separated Jharkhand from Bihar.

Bihar has farming as main method of subsistence; some ICT based industry.

87.5 percent of its population lives in rural areas.

Literacy of 63.82 per cent in 2011.

The Ganges divides Bihar into two unequal halves and flows through the middle from west to east. Other Ganges tributaries are the Son, Budhi Gandak, Chandan, Orhani and Phalgu.

Though the Himalayas begin at the foothills, a short distance inside Nepal and to the north of Bihar, the mountains influence Bihar's landforms, climate, hydrology and culture.

Central parts of Bihar have some small

hills, for example the Rajgir hills.

To the south is the Chota Nagpur plateau,

which was part of Bihar until 2000 but

now is part of a separate state called

Jharkhand.

Bihar

Bihar has alluvial soil, replenished by flood

waters, suitable for agriculture.

Often a governing elite that controlled both

the political and the economic aspects of

life.

Trade (and migration) is increasingly

important.

Population and Land

Bihar has a population of 104 million.

It is a majority male population(52.6%)

The total area of land is 94,163 sq. km

This is divided into two main regions: the North Ganga Plain and the South Ganga Plain

Further divided there are 38 districts

Capital city is Patna

Population and Other

Statistics

Per capita income was Rs. 28317 in 2012-13

Density: 880 people per sq. mile

Birth rate: 30.9 per 1000

Death rate: 7.9 per 1000

Population grew 28.4% from 1991 -2001

Rural development has three actors i.e. officials, elected representatives and villagers.

Bihar Economy

Gross state domestic product of Bihar for the year 2013/2014 has been around 3683.37 billion INR.

By sectors, its composition is:

Agriculture = 22%

Industry = 5%

Services = 73%.

The economy of Bihar is largely service-oriented, but it has a significant agricultural base. The state also has a small industrial sector. More recently, Bihar's state GDP recorded a very high growth (in the excess of 10%), making Bihar the fastest growing major state of India.

Geography

Upper northeast corner of India, right before it gets squeezed between Bhutan and Bangladesh.

Many important rivers pass through Bihar.

In the southern foothills of the Himalaya Mountain Range, touching Nepal.

Bihar is the tan state within the red shape.

Indo -Gangetic Plain

One of the most notable features of Bihar is its location in the Indo -Gangetic Plain.

This plain is very fertile, making it ideal for an agrarian society.

Recent History

Located in the northeast of the country, on the

populous state.

Historically, it was the base of an agrarian movement that championed the rights of peasant farmers. Most of its residents were scattered across 45,000 villages, where many cultivated the plain that surrounded the Ganges River.

Bihar than half the population subsisted on less than the equivalent of one US dollar a day.

Ancient History

Historically Bihar had been a major center of learning

Originated from the time of Buddha or even earlier

Home of one of the earliest universities, Nalanda, which dates back to the 5th century

Vikramshia, which is another university is located there as well

Education: M edieval History

During medieval period, education was lost.

Believed that marauding armies of the invaders destroyed the centers of learning.

Education

Has an overall literacy of 63.82%

Male literacy rate of 73.39%

Female literacy rate of 53.57%

Only 21% of all primary school teachers have completed the matriculation

Because of the law of affirmative action that reserves jobs and education for people of backward classes, students from Bihar are performing well in respect to better economically well off states in India

Education

During 1970s and 1980s government took control over private schools

Because government was ill-equipped the standards of the schools began to fall

However, government did not take over schools ran by Christian missionaries, and these schools still provided quality education

Education

Central government runs a number of Kendriya Vidyalayas (Central Schools)

Jawahar Navodaya Schools were made by the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for rural children

Have been successful in providing quality education to the weaker sections of the society

Literacy rate from 1951 to 2011 [99]

Year Total

1961 21.95

1971 23.17

1981 32.32

1991 37.49

2001 47.53

2011 63.82

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bihar

Education (In Earlier times)

Modern Bihar had an inadequate educational infrastructure which places a huge impact between supply and demand

The growing population had made the situation

student population to other states in order to obtain better education and jobs.

Only 51% of the children enrolled in primary school actually attended, 59% of those who do attend did not have textbooks, and 13% of the children in Bihar were not enrolled at all.

Economy

Bihar lagged behind in the overall progress of India.

Per capita GDP: Rs. 4000 per month in Bihar vs. national average of Rs.12000 per month.

Nearly 10% more people living below the poverty line than the average for India

Reasons for slow development

Inadequate investment in infrastructure, irrigation, and technology.

CM Nitish Kumar tried to change this from 2005.

Economy: Agriculture

2 crop seasons: Kharif & Rabi Major crops:

Rice Sugar Tobacco Wheat Jute

Other minor crops: Chilli Mango Oil Seeds

Agro -products in Bihar

Bihar has significant levels of production of mango,

guava, litchi, pineapple, brinjal, cauliflower, bhindi, and

cabbage. Despite the state's leading role in food

production, investment in irrigation and other agriculture

facilities has been inadequate.

Historically, the sugar and vegetable oil industries were

flourishing sectors of Bihar. Until the mid -1950s, 25% of

India's sugar output was from Bihar. Dalmianagar was a

large agro-industrial town.

There were attempts to industrialise the state between

1950 and 1980: an oil refinery in Barauni, a motor scooter

plant at Fatuha, and a power plant at Muzaffarpur.

However, these were forced to shut down due to certain

central government policies (like the Freight Settlement

Policy) which neutralised the strategic advantages of

Bihar. Barauni is still one of the few old industrialised

towns in the state. Hajipur, near Patna, remains a major

industrial town in the Bihar, linked to the capital city

through the Ganges bridge and good road infrastructure

Economy: Agriculture

Economy: Mineral Production

Very little due to the division of southern Bihar into the separate state of Jharkhand

Most mineral production takes place in Jharkhand

Some Minerals Produced

Coal

Bauxite

Dolomite

Economy: Mineral Production

Economy: Attempts at

Industrialization

Oil refinery in Barauni

Motor scooter plant at Fatuha

Power plant at Muzaffarpur

Attempt to bring in

I C T in Bihar recently.

Polity

Bicameral Legislature Upper-house Legislative Council

Lower-house Legislative Assembly

Governor appointed by president of India Head of state

Real executive power rests with Chief Minister

7 administrative divisions and 39 divisions

Each division has a divisional commissioner

District magistrate and collector in each division

Sub divisional officer in each of the 76 subdivisions